Thill-coupling.



UNITED STATES OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. WEGNER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

THIELLFCOUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,655, dated September 17, 1901. Application filed December 22, 1900. Serial No. 40,726. (Nolmorlel.)

others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a partof this specification.

This invention relates to antirattling thillcouplings, and has for its object a thill-coupling adapted to securely hold the thill to the axle to prevent the escape of a headless pin which is used to secure the thill to the shackleiron and to prevent noise or rattling of the coupling, for which purpose it employs a spring with means for actuating the same to bring it into tension to hold the thill from rattling on the pin or in the shackle.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation. Parts of the device are shown in full lines in one position and in dotted lines in another position. Fig. 2 is a front view of the device. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the saddle, the spring, and the lever which actuates the spring. Fig. 4 shows the spring cushioned.

A indicates the shackle, which is of ordinary construction. B indicates the thill-eye, arranged to engage between the cheeks a and a' of the shackle and be held thereto by a headless pin b. The shackle itself is held to the axle X by an ordinary yoke-strap y and by burs .z z, run onto the threaded ends of the clevis part of the shackle.' The antirattling attachment is entirely separate and distinct from the parts heretofore mentioned and may be removed, and when removed presents the appearance seen in Fig. 3.

2 is a saddle having a cross-bar 2a, the sides 3 and '4, in the bottom end of which are holes to receive the trunnion-pins 5 and 6 of a lever. Each of the sides 3A and 4 is provided with au ear 3a 4., that is arranged to engage over the ends of the pin'b.

bottom of the sides 3 and 4, is fulcrumed a bent lever, to which is secured a spring 8, that is arranged to engage under the thill-eye.

In the holes 5 and 6, at the The f ulcrum-pin 6 of the lever is arranged with respect to the pin 9,that holds the spring,

` and with `reference to the free end of the lever to bring the fulcrum and the pin which holds 55 the spurs and the free end of the lever to a shape corresponding to a bent lever or cam. The lever 7 is hollowed out or concaved between the fnlcrum-pins, and the cavity extends along the lever toward its free end. 6o The bent spring 8 is in the form of a double cyma curve, one branch of which engages under and behind the thill-eye.

In use the attachment shown in Fig. 3 is placed on the shackle with the cross-bar 2 65 resting across the top of the shackle. The eye of the thill is placed between the ears of the shackle, the pin inserted, and the spring now takes the position shown in full lines in Fig.

1, the saddle and the lever having the posi- 7o tion shown in dotted lines. The lever-handle is now forced backward to the position shown in full lines in Eig. l. The spring does not change its position to any considerable extent, although during the movement of the lever-handle from the position shown in dotted lines to the position shown in full lines the ends of the spring are forced toward one another and spread again, when the lever comes to rest in full-line position. In making 8o this movement the entire device has been forcibly held by the joint action of the shackle bearing against the top of the saddle and the pinned end of the spring 8 bearing against the front end of the cross-bar y. The spring is not under its greatest tension, although it is under suicient tension to hold the lever with considerable force toits place and to press the thill-eye upward and forward. The sides of the cavity in the lever engage against 9o 4 the sides of the bur .e and act as a nut-lock to prevent the bnr from turning on its screw.

In order that the device may be made to fit dierent sizes of shackles, there is provided on the cross-bar a pair of prongs 10 10a, un- 95 der which may be inserted a wedge or fillet of any suitable material, such as wood or i rubber, in cases where the shackle is too small to be held properly by a device adapted for the ordinary size of shackle. Such a fillet loo is shown at 4l in Fig. 3.

The saddle 2a is provided with a stiffcningrib 2", and the spring is provided with a cushion 8a, held to the spring by nuts 8b or in` any suitable Way.

The pin b can be removed after the saddle has been drawn forward beyond the shackleear.

l. A fixture for antirattling thill-couplings comprising a saddle adapted to engage over the shackle and provided with lever-supporting sides, a lever fulcrumed to the sides, a bent spring held by a pin to the lever, substantially as described.

2. A fixture for anlirattling thill-couplers, comprising in combination a saddle having a. cross-bar and depending sides provided with ears 3a, 4a, a bent lever fulcrumed to the sides depending from the cross-bar of the saddle, a bent spring secured by a pin lo the lever, substantially as described.

3. A fixture for antirattling thill-couplers comprising a saddle provided with a crossbar and depending sides, a concave lever fulcrumed to the sides, a bent spring secured by api-n to the endl of the lever, substantially as described.

4. A fixture for antirattling thill-couplings comprising a saddle provided with a stiiiening-rib 2", and arranged to engage over the shackle, provided also with lever-supporting sides, a lever fulcrumed to the sides, a spring held by a pin to the lever, and adapted to bear against the rear of the thill-eye, substantially as described.

5. A fixture for antirattling thill-couplings, comprising a saddle adapted to engage over the shoe and provided with lever-supporting sides, a lever fnlcrurned to the sides, a spring held by a pin to the lever and a cushion secured to the spring,substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK A. VVEGNER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES F. BURTON, JOHN N. GooDRIcH. 

